Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
Notice and request for comment.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection for Almonds Grown in California, Marketing Order No. 981.
Comments on this notice must be received by April 23, 2019.
Interested persons are invited to submit written comments concerning this notice. Comments must be sent to the Docket Clerk, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250–0237; Fax: (202) 720–8938; or internet:
Andrew Hatch, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Room 1406–S, Washington, DC 20250–0237; Telephone:(202) 720–6862, Fax:(202) 720–8938, or Email:
Small businesses may request information on this notice by contacting Richard Lower, Assistant to the Director, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 0237, Room 1406–S, Washington, DC 20250–0237; Telephone (202) 720–2491, Fax: (202) 720–8938; or Email:
The marketing order and its rules and regulations authorize the Almond Board of California (Board), the agency responsible for local administration of the marketing order, to require handlers and other certain entities to submit information.
Since September 2007, the Board has been operating a mandatory program under the marketing order to help reduce the potential for Salmonella in almonds. The Board had developed forms as a means for handlers to file required information with the Board relating to the treatment of almonds. Almond handlers are required to submit annual treatment plans to the Board and inspection agency regarding how they plan to treat their almonds in compliance with the program.
Entities interested in being almond process authorities that validate technologies are required to submit an application to the Board on ABC Form No. 51, “Application for Process Authority for Almonds.” Manufacturers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico interested in being approved to accept untreated almonds, provided they agree to treat the almonds themselves under the Board's Direct Verifiable (DV) program, are required to submit an application to the Board on ABC Form No. 52, “Application for Direct Verifiable (DV) Program for Further Processing of Untreated Almonds.” Entities interested in being approved DV user auditors are required to apply to the Board on ABC Form No. 53, “Application for Direct Verifiable (DV) Program Auditors.” To ensure compliance with the mandatory program, entities are required to use either an on-site or audit-based verification program and annually submit a treatment plan to the Board on ABC Form No. 54, “Handler Treatment Plan.”
The information collected is used only by authorized representatives of USDA, including AMS, Specialty Crops Program's regional and headquarters' staff, and authorized employees and agents of the Board. Authorized Board employees, agents, and the industry are the primary users of the information, and AMS is the secondary user.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.